DIY Network

Fondant Cake Art Visit DIY's Craft Lab to learn how to create artistic fondant cake toppers. From "Craft Lab" episode DCLB-135

Guest Edith Meyer joins host Jennifer Perkins to demonstrate how to create fun, eye-popping toppers for fondant cake. She starts by showing how to cut and cover three tiers of cake with buttercream and fondant, and then she stacks the three tiers using large drinking straws.

Flowers are created by rolling colored gum paste through a pasta machine and cutting the shapes out with cookie cutters. Butterfly wings are created from the gum paste as well, and they're decorated with edible paints.

Finally, the butterfly cake toppers are assembled.

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	Host Jennifer Perkins, seen here in DIY's Craft Lab studios, reveals some of the amazing cake toppers that are showcased on this episode.
	Note the detailed stitching on this eye-popping cake topper.
	This fondant cake features a bow to give it that "package" look.
	Tiered cakes are perfect for embellishing with fondant art.
	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C

Fondant Cake and Art Toppers

Project Designed by Edith Myer.

Materials:

frosted cake
various colored fondant
powdered sugar
rolling pins
pizza cutter
latex gloves
edible paint colors
flower cutters
craft knife
large kitchen knife
straightedge
pasta machine
gum paste
floral paper frosting sheets
vegetable oil
paper towels
icing (egg white, powdered sugar, lemon juice)
piping bags
piping tips
rubber bands
cardboard rounds
cake stands
sturdy straws
scissors
sandwich bags

1. Cook three tiers of cake in round 11", 8" and 6" pans, and it helps to use a 3" thick cake pan. Then cut the cakes into three sections with a knife or a cake leveler (figure A) and layer them with buttercream frosting.

2. Cover cakes in a buttercream crumb frosting — a thin layer of frosting and chill to help with applying fondant.

3. Color the fondant using a gel food coloring and kneed it in until you get an even color.

4. Roll out pre-colored fondant with rolling pin using powdered sugar on the surface.

   Note: It's important to keep moving the fondant as you're rolling it so that it doesn't stick to the surface of your counter.

5. Lift the fondant gently and place it on top of one of the cake tiers, smoothing quickly around the edges and down the sides, until the cake is completely covered (figure B).

6. Trim the excess fondant with a pizza cutter and smooth edges, and re-roll it for the next tier.

   Note: You can reuse the excess fondant if you wrap it in plastic and refrigerate.

7. Cover all tiers with fondant.

8. Press a sturdy straw (bubble tea straws work well) all the way down through the largest cake tier.

9. Cut the straw with scissors at the cake level. Cut three more straws this exact length, and insert them into the cake to help support the next level.

   Note: Be sure that you've arranged the straws to be hidden under the base of the next tier (figure C).

10. Repeat for the second tier; the top tier does not need straws as nothing will be on top of it that needs support.

11. Slide a large knife under the second tier and place it on top of the first tier. Repeat with the top tier.

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